Francois Tetaz - The Surfer Official Soundtrack Francois Tetaz

Impressed SoundTracks, in collaboration with Rubber Records, is proud to present the soundtrack of The Surfer, a 2024 psychological thriller directed by Lorcan Finnegan and starring Nicolas Cage that premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

The film's original score is composed by François Tétaz, an Australian film composer known for his work on films such as Elvis (2022), Wolf Creek (2005), and Judy & Punch (2019).

"...François Tétaz’s terrific score carries strains of Morricone in its mythic propulsion." Paste Magazine

The film centres on a man who returns to his Australian hometown after spending years in the U.S. When a group of local surfers humiliates him in front of his teenage son, and a group of local surfers who claim ownership of the secluded beach from his childhood, he is pushed to the brink of his sanity.

The score was written as The Surfer's inner dialogue; his childhood in Australia through his fathers record collection and some misremembered TV themes he grew up with. Australian shows like In the Wild with Harry Butler, Skippy and the New Wave soundtracks for Wake in Fright, The Last Wave and John Sangster’s Paradise Vol 1 for the Queensland tourism commission - Australian Exotica.

The soundtrack captures the protagonist's nostalgia for his childhood beach, his underlying melancholy, and the unique atmosphere of the place itself. The hypnotic turquoise waves, the dry bush, the essence of Australia, and the peculiar tone of the story were all reflected in the music. A soundtrack beautiful crafted to be enjoyed independently of the movie.

Scoring The Surfer was a gift and a challenge. Nicolas Cage gave such a big performance, the instrumentation grew larger and stranger - the tonal colours kept expanding. I somehow ended up adding ludicrous amounts of wind chimes, mark tree and bell tree. Usually a cliched instrument choice for wonder and magic, here they are intended to be so insistent they become taunting and maddening. - François Tétaz (film composer)

The main theme becomes twisted and distorted. In 'Clams Casino' the score becomes the Surfer's state of mind as he loses his mind. Its a journey of The Surfer losing his mind, and finding a way to move on.

The 'outsider's view' was very interesting to me, to make a film that feels like the subjective experience of a man trying to come to terms with himself. The Surfer is a man who grew up in Australia, but after a childhood tragedy moved to California, before eventually returning to Australia. As an Irish director collaborating with American actor Nicolas Cage and Polish cinematographer Radek Ladczuk, we found an interesting way into this story, as outsiders. We set out to make a film that feels like a strange dream, exploring identity, repressed memory, masculinity, rebirth and belonging. - Lorcan Finnegan (director)

Limited to just 1,000 copies, pressed to heavyweight blue and white 'WAVE/WHITE WASH' colour-in-colour vinyl in a gatefold jacket, 12 page booklet with stills from the film, and with our signature individually-numbered obi strip.